Reciprocating can piercer



May 22, 1945. P. c. BYE

RECIPROCATING CAN PIERCER Filed NOV. 15, 1944 IN V EN TOR.

ATTOPNEV Patented" May 2-2, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rmnomt I ime:21:31: E rrin 563,2l8

Claims.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel oanpierclng apparatus which can be made of plastic material and which includes a reciprocating member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can piercing apparatus including a piercing member normally held spaced from the can and movable to pierce the can after the piercing member has moved through a predetermined distance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein: t

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing an apparatus embodying the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1;

. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, central, sectional view similar to Fig. 1, showing the apparatus in the position assumed after the p lnfl members have pierced a can top;

Fig. 4 is a central sectional view, showing a modified apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 5-5, Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation, showing a modified type of piercing member.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, I have shown my invention as embodied in a can piercing apparatus which is indicated generally at l0. As shown the apparatus includes a body Ii which is preferably made of plastic material, although it may be made of metal if desired.

The body includes recesses l2 in the bottom thereof which are arranged either side of a transversely extending partition and guide member I3 which extends from one side of a skirt It, integral with the body, to a location diametrically opposite. The guid member I3 includes a slot I5 which opens downwardly.

The apparatus includes a piercing member indicated generally at It. This piercing member includes a base portion I! which is rectangular and is of substantially the same width as that of the slot IS. The base member is provided with a stem l8 which is preferably cylindrical. The stem l8 passes through a bore I8 in the body i0 and is threadedly connected to a push member 20 which is adapted to be engaged to operate the apparatus.

The body I0 is recessed-as at 22 about the stem and the push member is also recessed as at 23 about the stem. A spring 24 surrounds the stem and has its ends in the recesses 22 and 23. The

-body includes an upwardly directed cylindrical portion 25 and the push member includes a skirt 26 which overlaps the cylindrical portion 25 shown in the drawing.

' The base of the piercing member has a pron 21 at one end and at the other end has a second prong 28. The prong 21 is preferably longer than the prong 28 so that it will enter a can prior to the time thecan is engaged by the prong 28 to thus decrease the power which would be required if both prongs pierced the can at the same time.

In operation the skirt I4 is arranged about the upper perimeter of a can andthen the push member 20 is pushed or struck a slight blow, causing the stem iii to move towards the can and causing the piercing members 21 and 2! to enter the can one after the other. The piercing apparatus is then removed and the contents of the can may be discharged.-

In Figs. 4 and 5 I show a modification of my invention wherein some parts are designated by primed reference numerals which correspond to similar unprimed reference numerals in the preceding description. In the modification, instead of extending the guide member I3 entirely across the body I provide a pair of guide members lid at each side of the body. The guide members Ila include a central slot l5a which guides the ends of the base portion II. The construction of the other parts is similar to that previously described.

In Fig. 6 I show a modified type of piercing member, indicated at 21". This piercing memher is arranged on a, base portion l1" and the piercing member is bevelled as at 30 to provide a sharpened portion. This type of sharpened portion 30 may be substituted instead of the sharpened portion shown in connection with the points 21 and 28 above.

It will be noted that in all of the modifications the piercing members are normally spaced from the end of the can. This requires that the push member 20 or the push member 20' must move through a portion of its travel before the piercing members engage the can. As a result inertia is built up in the push member and piercing device and this aids materially in causing the piercing members to enter the can.

From the foregoing description it will beapwardly extending portion.

ing through said. hole,v a push member on said stem, a spring normally urging said push member outwardly, said body having an upwardly directed portion thereon and said pushmember having a depending skirt slidable along said up- 2. A can piercing apparatus including a cylindrical body having a depending skirt thereon, said body having a transversely extending diametrically arranged slot thereon, said slot opening downwardly, a reciprocating piercing member comprising a base having a stem thereon, said base .beingarranged in said transverse slot, said base having a piercing member at each end thereof, said body having a hole therein coaxial with the skirt, said stem passing through said hole, a

push member mounted on said stem. a spring arranged on said stem between the push member and said body, said body having an upwardly directed portionthereon, said push member havmg a depending collar slidable along said up-- I wardly extending portion.

3. A can piercing apparatus including a cylindrical body having a depending skirt thereon, said body having a transversely extending, diametri callyfarranged partition, said partition having a slot therein, said slot opening downwardly, a reciprocating piercing member comprising a base having a stem thereon, said base being arranged in said'transverse slot, said basev having a piercing member at each end thereof, said body having a hole therein coaxial'with the skirt, said stem pas sasv vse ing through said hole, the upper portion or said body being recessed about said stem, a push member mounted on said stem, said push menu her being recessed about said stem, a spring arranged on said stem between the push member and said body, the ends of said spring being disposed in said recesses, said push member having a depending collar slidable along said body.

4. A can piercing apparatus including a cylindrical body having a depending skirt thereon, said body having a transversely extending, diametrically arranged partition, said partition having a slot therein, said slot opening downwardly, a reciprocating piercing member comprising a base having astem thereon, said base being rectangular in cross section and being arranged in said partition slot, said base having a piercing member at each end thereoi and normally within the slot, one oi! said piercing members being longer than the other, said body having ahole therein coaxial with the skirt, said stem passing through said hole, said body having an upwardly directed cylindrical portion thereon, said body being recessed about saidstem, a push member mounted on said stem, said push member being recessed about said stem, a spring arranged on said stem between the push member and said body, the ends of said spring being disposed in said recesses, said push member having a depending collarslidable along said upwardly extending cylindrical portion on said body.

5. A can piercing apparatus including a cylindrical body having a depending skirt thereon, said body having a guide member at each side, each guide member having a slot therein, a reciprocatin'g piercing member comprising a .base having a stem thereon, said base beingslidable in said slots, said base having a piercing member at each end thereof, said body having a hole therein coaxial with the skirt, said stem passingthrough said hole. a push member mounted-on said stem, and a spring arranged on said stem between the pushmember and said body.

I ,PAUL C. BYE. 

